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Special Considerations for Elderly Patients During Plastic Surgery

rome airport

Elderly patients (older than 65 years) can undergo office-based anesthesia safely. Age, in and of itself, should not be the deciding factor for determining if one is a good candidate. A thorough patient evaluation is necessary because of the increased prevalence of age-related comorbidities, such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus. An age related decline in organ function also occurs. One must keep in mind that a patient’s chronologic age is less important than his or her physiologic age. A healthy 70 year old patient with good cardiopulmonary function is likely a better candidate for anesthesia than an obese 50 year old patient who has coronary artery disease.The degree of complexity and the duration of surgery must be taken into consideration when selecting appropriate outpatient cases. The procedures should carry a relatively low morbidity and be completed early enough in the day to allow adequate time for recovery and discharge home.Typically, however, they are not an issue for surgery limited to the face.
The main concern can be limiting the number of procedures performed so as to limit the overall duration of surgery. The importance of the surgery duration as a predictor of adverse out¬comes is not clear when one reviews the literature. The authors prefer to complete surgery by the early afternoon so that ample time is available to assess patients for any immediate surgical complication, such as bleeding, and manage any anesthetic side e?ects, such as nausea and vomiting.

Reducing a patient’s anxiety level begins well before the day of surgery. This is important for the cosmetic surgery patient whose level of anxiety may be high as he or she prepares to undergo a change in body image and has concerns over maintaining privacy. Effective communication between the staff and patient helps to alleviate fears. Benzodiazepines also should be used preoperatively because of their effective anxiolytic and sedative properties.
At the case presentation appointment, the authors familiarize the patient with the physical facilities. A nurse gives a tour of the surgical center and private entrance for use at postoperative visits. During the preoperative history and physical examination, a nurse uses illustrations that highlight where incisions will be made and emphasizes techniques used to make them inconspicuous (ie, placement in wrinkle lines or within the hairline). The nurse also gives the patient verbal and written preoperative and postoperative instructions, including any prescriptions for preoperative medications. The patient is given diazepam, 5 or 10 mg, to take with a small sip of water upon awakening the morning of surgery. The nurse telephones the patient the day before surgery to ensure that preoperative instructions are understood and to answer any patient questions.

Source: http://easycontentpro.com

Taking care of somebody's skin is only one of the main medical treatments at disposal of a plastic surgeon,as a number of noninvasive cosmetic laser procedures have become available to further improve the skin’s health and appearance as explained in chirurgia plastica

"Special Considerations for Elderly Patients During Plastic Surgery"
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